Improvement in machinery for filling and corking bottles



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

, A. M'AODONELL. Machiner'y for Filling and Gorking Bottles, 850. No.211 ;1 3 Patented J%&1 4,1879.

N.FETERS. Ffiomumcsakvnzn. WASHINGTON. 0.0

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. MAODO-NBLL. Machinery for Filling and Oorking Bottles, 850..

Pat ented Jan. 14,1879.

if Z v 3 Sheds-Sheet 3 A. MAGDONELL.

Machinery for Filling and Cork-1mg Bottles, 8w,

5 No. 21I ,4I3. Patented Jan. 14, 1879. Q

vfi e 3 a Q r a q. 4"

NVPEI'ERS FHUTD-UTHIOGRAPEFB, WASHINGTON. 5. V

UNITED STATES Plrrirrrr' ()Fnron.

ALLAN MAODONELL, ,OF NEVVBY, IRELAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR FILLING AND CORKING BOTTLES, 84c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 21 1, 113, datedJanuary 14, 1879; application filed August 13, 1878; patentedlinEngland, July 16, 1875.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALLAN MAcDoNELL, of

Newry, Ireland, civil engineer, have invented Improvements in Machineryor Apparatus for Filling and Oorkin g or Stop pering Bottles and otherlike receptacles, of which the following is a specification:

My invention-relates to the filling and corkin gor stopperin g ofbottles and other like receptacles by automatic means; and it consistsof an improved arrangement andcombination of apparatus, whereby thoseoperations are performed in a ready, rapid, and efficient manner, partof these improvements forming the subject of an English patent grantedto me, No. 2,551, July 16, 1875.

In carrying out my said invention I employ a cylinder or frame,suspended or otherwise mounted, so as to be free to revolve on astationary column or shaft, and carrying apparatus for filling bottles,(for example,) as here inafter described and also a series of corking orstopperingapparatus, which are arranged at convenient intervals allround, so that, on the cylinder or frame being caused to revolve, bytransmitting motion thereto from a prime mover through the interventionof a worm and worm-wheel, or otherwise, a number of bottles may besubjected to the action of the apparatus in various stages of theoperation simultaneously, the bottles being placed in position forfilling and corking or stoppering and removed, after having been filledand corked or stoppered, without stopping the machine, which thusoperates in a continuous manner; and in order that my said invention maybe fully understood, I shall now proceed more particularly.to describethe same, and for that purpose shall refer .to the several figures onthe annexed sheets of drawings, the same letters of reference indicatingcorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a side elevation of acombined mastages of the operation.

Fig. 6 represents a sectional elevation of a machine for corking bottlesconstructed in accordance with my said invention.

The apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 are adapted for non-aeratedliquids.

Fig. 7 represents a part elevation and part vertical section of acombined machine con 'structed in accordance with my said inven tion forfilling bottles with aerated liquids and corking the said bottles; andFigs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 are details, hereinafter referred to, of aportion. of the apparatus. Fig. 11 is a diagram, illustrating thedifierent stages of the operation. Fig. 12 represents a part elevationand part vertical section of a combined machine constructed inaccordance with my said invention for filling bottles with aeratedliquids, and stoppering the said bottles when internalstoppers areemployed.

The several apparatus illustrated in the drawings, and hereinafterdescribed, are identical in the principle of their construction anddiffer only in their details, according as they are intended to be usedfor bottling nonaerated or aeratedliquids in bottles closed with eitherordinary corks or internal stoppers.

In the case of non-aerated liquids introduced into bottles to bestoppered with ordinary corks, the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 5 isadopted. In these figures, A is a cylinder or frame, which is suspendedso as to be free to revolve upon a stationary column or shaft, B,supported upon a suitable base or foundation, 0, the latter alsocarrying bearings a a for a shaft, D, to which motion is imparted bypulleys E and a belt from any suitable prime mover, and whence themotion is transmitted to the cylinder or frame A by a worm, F, fast tothe top of the cylinder or frame A, so as to revolve therewith, whileits internal plug or key 0 is maintained stationary. This plug or key isprovided on its face with two ports and I passages, 01 a, one, d,incommunication with a reservoir containing the liquid to be introducedinto the bottles, and the other, e, in communication with a pump fordrawing off the surplus overflow from the bottles, as hereinafterexplained.

From the casing of the valve or cock leads two series of pipes,fg, thetotal number of each of which is equal to that of the corking apparatusemployed, a pipe, f, and a pipe, g, being provided for each corkingapparatus H. These pipes are so arranged that as the cylinder A revolvesthe pipe f of each apparatus is placed in communication with the port 01of the plug or key 0 leading from the liquid-res.- ervoir, and the plug9 of each apparatus is placed in communication with the port 6 in thesaid plug or key leading to the pump before mentioned, so that eachbottle is filled in its turn, and the surplus liquid supplied to thebottles is successively drawn off by the pump.

Each of the corking apparatus H consists of a device for compressing thecorks, (shown in detail in Fig. 4*, and hereinafter particu-, larlydescribed,) a spring-stand, h, for the bottles, and a piston, i, forforcing the corks into the bottles.

The compressor consists of a holder, 75, slotted at l, and having anenlarged opening, into which the corks, one by one, are inserted, andalso having a contracted portion, it, into which each cork is forced, soas to reduce its size, by a compressing-slide, 0, having a reciprocatingrotary motion, the portion 0 of the slide which acts upon the cork beingmade of a segmental concave shape, so that when it has completed itsstroke in compressing the cork it forms, with the extremity of thecontracted portion of the holder, a complete tube, h, in which the corkunder operation is tightly held. The reciprocating motion of thecompressing-slides 0 is obtained by means of bell-crank or an gularlevers K, operated by a cam, L, fast on the stationary column or shaftB.

The spring-stands h for the bottles, which are operated by another cam,M, on the stationary column or shaft B, are each forced up, as required,in order to bring the mouth of the bottle which it carries, and whichhas been filled in the manner hereinbefore explained, beneath thecompressin g-tube h, and the cork, compressed in the manner hereinbeforedescribed, is forced by one of the pistons i, operated by another cam,N, on the stationary column or shaft B, into the mouth of the bottle.

I utilize as the pistons a continuation of the pipes f, employed forfilling the bottles. Each piston is composed of a tube, 2', of brass orother suitable rigid material, the lower end, i, of which-videlicet,that end which presses upon the corks-is solid, two lateral openings,1;, being provided for the discharge of the liquid into the bottle. Thetubular piston i is first employed for filling the bottle, and then forforcing the cork into the mouth thereof, assum- L in g that six corkingapparatus are employed, arranged round the cylinder or frame, as in theexample illustrated. Each bottle subjected to the action of the machineis passed through six successive stages in the operations of filling andcorking, corresponding to six equidistant points in the circumference ofthe stationary column or shaft, which each corking is being elevated,although not in its highest positiomby the time position No. 2 isreached; the stand it has been raised; the tubular piston i has beeninserted in the bottle, and the filling has commenced, the samecontinuing (by reason of the cock I being formed with segmento-annulargrooves or channels) until the bottle has arrived at position No.3, bywhich time the fillingis completed. In position No. 4, the tubularpiston i has been raised to its highest point; the cork q, in a state ofcompression, is situate over the mouth of the bottle, and the surplusliquid has been withdrawn. By the time position No. 5 is reached thetubular piston t has been depressed, and the cork q forced into themouth of the bottle, af-

ter which the stand h, carrying the filled and corked bottle, is,loweredfor the removal of the latter on its arrival at position No. 6. Anotherbottle and cork are then supplied in position No. 1, and the precedingoperations are repeated, and so on in succession.

The dotted line 7 in the diagram, Fig. 5, il-

ing apparatus are simultaneously in action at the different gradatorystages in the operations hereinbefore described, the attendant beingconstantly employed, as the difi'erent a'ppa-l ratus successively passthe point at which he is stationed, in removing the bottles which havebeen filled and corked, and replacing them by empty bottles to be filledand corks to be inserted.

When it is not required that the bottles should be filled automatically,the peculiar filling apparatus may be dispensed with, the corkingapparatus constructed, arranged, and operating substantially in themanner hereinbefore described being alone employed.

An example of this modification isillustrated in Fig. 6 of my drawings,the corking apparatus being constructed generally in a similar manner tothat of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4, with the exception that thepistonsi are-now made solid in lieu of tubular, which arrangement ofpistons may'also be adopted in the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4,special filling-'tubesbeing in that case employed.

The operation of the corking apparatus is analogous in both cases. Theaction of the modification shown in Fig. 6 will therefore bennderstoodfrom the description hereinbcfore given without furtherexplanation.

In the case of aerated liquids to be containedin bottles stoppered withordinary corks, the modification of apparatus illustrated in Figs. 7, 8,9, 10, 11, and 11 is adopted, which apparatus is identical in principlewith the apparatus shown in Figs. lto 4, and only differs therefrom inthe following respects, the variations being necessitated by thedifferent requirements of aerated and non-aerated liquids.

A conical valve or cock, I, is employed, as, in the arrangement shown inFigs. 1 to at; but the passage d in the stationary plug 0 is intendedfor the introduction of the sirup, and the passage 0, which ispermanently open, is intended for the introduction of the aeratedliquid.

The passages d e communicate successively with the series of pipes f 9,leading to the several bottles, asin the arrangement previouslydescribed; but in the present case each set of pipesfg terminates at thelower end in a threeway cock, P, one of which is shown detached invertical and horizontal section in Figs. 8 and 9, respectively, andwhich cocks regulate the inlet of the sirup and aerated water into thebottles.

The plug R of each three-way cock is formed with two passages,'S S, theformer of which is capable of being brought into communication at f withthe pipe f for the introduction of the sirup, and ,with the outlet t,which leads to the holder It, as shown clearly in Fig. 8,

while the passage S is permanently open to a chamber, a, at the largerend of the cone 0", and maintained'constantly supplied with aeratedwater through the passage 9, leading from the pipeg. The pressure of theaerated water thus maintains the cock gas-tight. The water is conductedinto the bottle through the outlet 1) when the plug '1" is turned, so asto bring the passage S into communication therewith. v

The cocks P are actuated through the intervention of a system of rodsand levers, o, from a cam, Q, fast on the stationary column or shaft B.

Thecorking apparatus are similar in construction to those employed inthe arrangement of machine hereinbefore described with reference to Figslto 4, with the exception that the pistons i are solid, as in themodification shown in Fig. 6, in lieu of tubular, and the operation isanalogous to that of the said former arrangement.

The holder k, through which the'liquid is introduced and the cork isinserted in the bottle, is, however, in this case provided with a thebottle the air escapes, forcing back thevalve W,- and when the bottle isfilled, and "it is required to insert the cork therein, addi tionalrelief is provided by the employment of. a fixed claw or tappet, c, Fig.7, which forcesback the spring is and admits of the escape of the airand of a certain quantity of carbonic acid.

The contracted portion a of the holder 70 is continued downward in theform of a tube for a sufficient depth, so that when the cork iscompressed and forced its own length down the tube an air-tight spaceshall be left he tween the cork and the mouth of the bottle to admit ofthe free flow of the liquid into the bottle, while preventing any escapeof gas except by the snifting-valve.

The operation of the apparatus will be clearly understood from thefollowing explanation,

reference beinghad to the diagram, Fig. 11.

In position N o. 1, a bottle, 0 is placed upon its stand h and a cork,q, is inserted, the solid piston '5 being elevated. By the time pistonNo. 2 is reached the stand h has been raised, and the cork g has beencompressed and brought over the tube 92, leading to the mouth of thebottle, and the cock I? has been turned a partial turn in one directionand theintroduction of the sirup has commenced. Between positions Nos. 2and 3 the cork q is forced down about the extent of its own length intothe tube a the cock P is turned in the reverse direction to' that of itsprevious motion and through a longer are, thus cutting off the supply ofsirup and introducing the aerated water, the supply of which continuesuntil after position N o. 4

is passed, the shifting-valve 70 being opened latter on its arrival atposition No. 6, to be re placed at position No. l by another bottle andcork, when the preceding operations are repeated, and so on insuccession.

The modification of apparatus illustrated in Fig. 12, which is intendedto be used for bottles to be closed with internal stoppers, is con--structed upon the same principle. case the shifting-valve k is dispensedwith, and its place is supplied by a series of open air-tubes, 70,carried by spring-brackets w, which are raised at intervals by a cam, w,fast on the stationary column or shaft B, in order ,to cause the tubesto rise in the interior of the bottles, which are arranged in aninverted position, with the neck supported by the funnels In this k, andthe bottom maintained in position vby the inverted spring-stands h. Theair is thus enabled to escape through the tubes k as the bottles arefilled, and on the operation of filling being completed the bracket w,carrying the tube 70 of the filled bottle, is allowed by 1 the cam 00 todescend suddenly by gravitation clear of the mouth of the bottle, whenthe intern al stopper immediately falls into the mouth of the bottle,where it is retained by the pressure of the fixed air contained in theaerated liquid.

' The cock I and the cocks P may be of substantially similarconstruction to the corresponding cocks employed in the arrangementshown in Fig. 7.

In the present modification the following series of operations isperformed.

A bottle, 0 is placed over the funnel 7c in position No. 1, and issecurely retained by the descent under the action of its cam M of thestand 71. by the time position No. 2 is reached. At this point, also, bythe ascent of the bracket L(, the tube k begins to rise into the Ibottle, and the supply of the sirup commences to be followed by thesupply of the aerated liquid, as before. By the time position No. 5 isarrived at the bottle will have been filled and the tube It Withdrawn,and the bottle closed by the descent of the internal stopper into itsmouth consequent upon the withdrawal of the tube. The stand it nextrises, ready for the removal of the bottle at position No. 6; and onposition No. 1 being again arrived at another bottle is introduced, whenthe preceding series of operations is repeated, as before, and so on insuccession during the operation of the machine.

If desired, my improved apparatus may be so arranged that two sets ofbottles may be subjected to the action of the machine, and be passingthrough the several gradatory stages of the operation simultaneously,two attendants being employed if necessary, stationed at opposite side,of the machine.

It is obvious that the spaces between the successive positionsthat is tosay, between the bottles placed around the machine-are not necessarilyequidistant, as the apparatus may be otherwise arranged, if founddesirable.

By the term bottle, as used in this my specification, is to beunderstood any receptacle capable of being closed with a cork orstopper.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a rotating frame withbottle-holders and bottle filling and corking devices, and mechanism forautomatically operating the same, all substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a bottle-corkingmachine, of a piston withdevices, substantially as herein described, whereby the corks areseized, compressed, and brought into position for application to theneck of the bottle, as specified.

3. In a machine for filling and-corkin g bottles, the combination ofdevices for holding the cork with 'a tubular piston for supplying theliquid, and adapted, also, to force the cork into the bottle,substantially as described.

4. The combination of the bottle-holder and piston with the corkreceptacle and compressor 0, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the pipes f g and tube t with the holder H.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALLAN MAODONELL.

Witnesses:

J NO. STEVENSON, WILLIAM SIMMs,

Linen 110.11., Belfast, Ireland.

